Prague Mayor urges government not to restrict travel to/from capital

Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib and Central Bohemia Governor Petra Pecková have called on the Czech government to not restrict travel between Prague and the Central Bohemian region along with new lockdown measures to halt the spread of COVID-19.

On Thursday, Health Minister Jan Blatný stated that the current measures are no longer effective and that tighter restrictions are now being discussed.

According to Blatný, those could include a restriction on travel between Czech regions, as well as a restriction on travel over a certain distance from one's place of residence.

Hřib and Pecková, however, argue that Prague and the Central Bohemian region form a larger and singular whole connected by infrastructure and other means, and that restrictions on travel between them would be overly disruptive.

"I request together with Petra Pecková that the government of Andrej Babiš does not impose restrictions on movement between Prague and the Central Bohemian Region," Hřib writes on Twitter.

"Together we form one functional unit, a larger whole connected in terms of transport, socially and economically. It is essential to maintain linkage in the field of healthcare."

On Monday, members of the Czech government will discuss further tightening the country's anti-COVID-19 measures, which could include the restriction on travel between regions.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš stated on Friday that it was of greater importance to persuade people to adhere to the current measures, as there was no point in introducing new restrictions if they are not followed. He suggested preparing residents for the re-opening of shops and services as a motivation.

According to Blatný, the situation has been deteriorating due to the spread of the more contagious British mutation of the coronavirus. Stricter measures are necessary to combat the new strain, the Health Minister argues; he also appealed to people to limit their travel as much as possible.

Next week, the Czech government will also ask the Chamber of Deputies to extend the current state of emergency, which is set to expire on February 14. Without an extension, the lockdown measures would also expire on this date.